1. The Technical Field
The present invention is directed to reusable packaging that is configured to initially display and then house the product, while the product is completely encased in the package, and then house the product repeatedly thereafter, wherein the product is at least partially enclosed by a transparent or translucent blister cavity, and wherein the blister cavity is usually fabricated from a plastic material.
2. The Prior Art
Typical prior art display package constructions are often in the form of an all-plastic enclosure, often in the form of a clamshell. That is, the plastic enclosure will be formed as a front portion and a rear portion, on or both of which may be generally planar, but have one or more contoured, three-dimensional bubbles or blister cavities formed therein, into which a portion or all of the product to be packaged, is received. The front and rear portions may be initially hinged along a common edge, which may be a top, bottom or side edge. After placement of the product into the bubble or blister cavity, the front and rear portions are then folded about the hinge and snap-fitted together via complementary snap joining structures formed in the respective front and rear portions. Alternatively, the front and rear portions may be sealed to each other, e.g., by heat or sonic welding. Other joining techniques may also be employed.
In other prior art constructions, the front and rear portions of the all-plastic enclosure may be completely separate structures, which are snap-fitted, sealed together, or otherwise joined, after placement of the product in the blister cavity.
Alternatively, prior art display package constructions may incorporate a plastic blister cavity, usually having flat flanges which extend outwardly from peripheral edges of the contoured three-dimensional portion of the blister. The flanges are then affixed to one or more layers of paperboard or other material. For example, the blister may be affixed to a single layer of paperboard material or “card” which forms the rear wall of the product enclosure.
In a still further alternative prior art construction, the contoured, three-dimensional portion of the blister may be pushed through a suitably shaped opening in a front “card”. A rear “card” having dimensions usually the same as the overall dimensions of the front card, may be placed in a position overlying the rear surfaces of the blister flanges and rear surface of the front card, so that the blister flanges are sandwiched between the front and rear cards.
Often, such display package constructions, are configured to hang from hooks, rods or pegs from shelving or upright supports, by providing one or more apertures, usually adjacent an upper edge region of the package.
Among the prior art display package constructions are the following references:
Jacobson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,387. In this reference, an all-plastic blister package is provided with a back snap closure.
Tjaden, U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,774 discloses reclosable, all-plastic blister cavities with hinged backs/bottoms with contoured snap features that interfit with corresponding structures in the cavity wall.
Iten et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,417. A package for safety razor blades, in which a pivotable card-stock panel in the card back is located behind the open-backed blister cavity. In one embodiment, plastic cup-shaped structures affixed to the panel telescopically receive posts extending backward from the front wall of the blister cavity, to hold the blades in place.
Yeager et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,935. A open-backed blister cavity is affixed to the bottom half of a card back. The top half of the card back is pivotable relative to the blister cavity, and bumps on the interior of the top of the blister cavity engage the top edges of the card back to hold it in place, once the package has been initially opened.
Shimizu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,099. This reference discloses a blister pack with foldable front and back card panels, and a blister bubble, that appears to be affixed, first to the front card panel by heat and pressure, with the front and back card panels attached to each other. However, it is to be noted that the English text appears to be a very rough translation from the Japanese, and so the details are given somewhat inconsistently. An alternative embodiment is disclosed where all three layers are heat sealed together simultaneously. The packages appear to be reclosable after opening. Most of the embodiments feature a back card hinged to the front card, being released by a tear strip or zipper strip, and then held in place by tucking the free edge of the back card under a die-cut tab formed in the front card.
Mickel, U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,689 B2. A package has an open-backed blister cavity with a removable and replaceable card back. An aperture in the card back fits over one or more protuberances on the blister cavity. The protuberances may be formed to create a “snap” fit with the card back.
One disadvantage of such prior art display package constructions, particularly the combination paperboard/plastic display packages, is that by simply tearing the card(s), it is often possible to separate the blister from the card(s) and/or otherwise gain access to the blister cavity, enabling the product therein to be removed and stolen.
It would be desirable to provide an improved combination paperboard/plastic display package construction that is provided with security features for discouraging or inhibiting theft of products from within the blister cavities of such display package constructions.
It would also be desirable to provide an improved display package construction that can be reused as a storage container for the product purchased.
It would also be desirable to provide an improved display package construction which has enhanced resistance to warping, which might otherwise result during the process of sealing the plastic blister to the paperboard card(s).
These and other desirable characteristics and objects of the present invention will become apparent in view of the present specification, including claims, and drawings.